Best Self-Hosted PDF viewer in 2026
Applications for viewing, annotating, editing, and managing PDF documents on desktop and mobile.
The top-rated pick is AppFlowy with 76,912 GitHub stars.
5 self-hosted pdf viewer — ranked by GitHub stars.Browse all
AppFlowy
Open source Notion alternative that brings projects, wikis, and teams together with AI while keeping you in control of your data.
Notion
Logseq
Privacy-first, open source knowledge management and note-taking platform that is a powerful Roam Research and Obsidian alternative.
Standard Notes
End-to-end encrypted, open source notes app that is a privacy-focused alternative to Evernote, Notion, and Apple Notes.
Airtable
Colanode
Open source, local-first Slack and Notion alternative that puts you in control of your data with offline support and end-to-end encryption.
Notion
PdfDing
Self-hosted PDF manager, viewer, and editor with multi-device sync, tagging, and an in-browser reader; deployable via Docker.
Adobe AcrobatWhy self-host?
Self-hosting puts you in control. You own your data, avoid vendor lock-in, and eliminate recurring subscription costs. For teams handling sensitive data or operating under strict compliance requirements, running your own infrastructure is often the only viable option.